After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”
After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.
~ John 19:28-42
Jesus said, “It is finished,” just before He died. But He wasn’t talking about His own earthly life being finished. He was saying that whole plan of salvation had been accomplished. He had done everything necessary to pay the penalty for our sins so we can live without fear of death. Because He died on the cross, we will never die. The debt is paid; nothing else is needed. Jesus died once for all.
Thank You, Father, that Jesus finished the task, paid the debt, washed away our sin. Otherwise we would never be able to enter Your presence, never be able to stand before You in righteousness—not because we are righteous, but because Jesus ascribed His righteousness to us. Hallelujah! Praise You, Lord! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Devotional excerpted from the Lenten devotional book From “Hosanna” to “It Is Finished”: The Week That Changed the World, by Lillie Ammann.
Other blog posts about Good Friday:
- Good Friday video: It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming
- Devotion for Good Friday
- Good Friday
- Good Friday: The Way of the Cross and the Vigil at the Altar of Repose
Powerful You Tube videos about Good Friday:
Good Friday is good because Jesus chose to sacrifice His life to pay for our sins. God is not dead–and neither are we if we accept His free gift of salvation and eternal life.